Maoshan's Secret Transmission?

Ren Tingting arrived gracefully, carrying a fragrant breeze with her. She had deliberately applied French perfume today and dressed up carefully before leaving, which was why she was a little late.

"Master Ren, I never expected that after twenty years apart, Tingting would be all grown up," Uncle Nine said, praising Ren Tingting as he looked at her.

"Ashamed, ashamed. I've simply been too busy these years to pay Uncle Nine a visit," Master Ren said with a laugh.

"So big," Wencai muttered, wearing a lecherous expression.

The moment he said that, the atmosphere turned awkward.

Ren Tingting's cheeks reddened. How could she not understand what he meant?

But as her gaze shifted, she noticed Fei Luo.

Gasp...

What a handsome young man.

As the daughter of a wealthy family, Ren Tingting had seen plenty of young masters, yet she had never seen anyone like Fei Luo, with such an otherworldly temperament and handsome features.

Compared to Fei Luo, the two beside him were—

Hicks!

Seemingly sensing the awkwardness in the air, Fei Luo stood up. "Hello, Miss Ren. What would you like to drink?"

Hearing Fei Luo's calm voice, combined with his cool demeanor and sunny smile, Ren Tingting could not help becoming flustered. "I-I'm fine with anything. You can order for me."

"Please have a seat, Miss Ren." Fei Luo gestured generously, then called a waiter over.

"One coffee with extra milk and less sugar for this lady."

"Yes, sir."

Fei Luo smiled slightly. "I don't know whether it suits Miss Ren's taste. I just ordered casually."

In truth, Fei Luo knew perfectly well that Ren Tingting had liked extra milk and less sugar in the original story.

"It does, it does." Ren Tingting's heart thumped wildly, and she seemed afraid to meet Fei Luo's eyes.

Soon, the atmosphere became harmonious again.

Master Ren began discussing business with Uncle Nine.

"Uncle Nine, then we'll do as you say. What do we need to prepare?" Master Ren had barely finished speaking.

"Money! Master Ren, just prepare the money."

Even Fei Luo, who had been deep in thought, was drawn in by that answer.

"Very well." Master Ren nodded, thinking that anything money could solve was not a problem. "How much do we need to prepare?"

At the mention of money, Wencai's eyes lit up. He immediately raised five fingers, then felt it was inappropriate and changed them to two.

By then, Uncle Nine's glare had reached its peak as he stared fiercely at Wencai.

You idiot, Wencai. Can't you say less?

Look at Fei Luo. See how composed he is?

Uncle Nine was roaring inwardly, his expression dark.

Thankfully, he had brought Fei Luo along today, sparing them from plenty of embarrassment. Still, Wencai had utterly disgraced him.

Seeing this "familiar" scene, Fei Luo did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"Oh..." Master Ren understood. "I see, Uncle Nine. This is the deposit. There will be more after the matter is settled. Please accept this first."

As he spoke, Master Ren took a stack of silver dollars wrapped in red paper from his pocket.

Uncle Nine did not decline and accepted the silver dollars.

If one took someone's money, one helped them avert disaster. There was no need for polite refusals in such matters.

Seeing this, Qiusheng and Wencai finally tore their eyes away from Ren Tingting's ample figure and looked at the stack of silver dollars.

During the Republic era, a stack of silver dollars contained fifty coins. To an ordinary family, that was an enormous sum.

Then Uncle Nine unceremoniously tore open the bundle and tossed half the silver dollars directly to Fei Luo. "Xiao Luo, take this money. With your current cultivation, there are still many places where you'll need to spend it."

Hearing his master's concern, Fei Luo felt warmth in his heart. He did not stand on ceremony and accepted the silver dollars Uncle Nine handed him.

Qiusheng and Wencai looked eagerly at Uncle Nine.

"You two should cultivate properly. Fei Luo is about to make a breakthrough, and money must be spent where it matters." Uncle Nine's words left the pair like deflated roosters, dejected and crestfallen.

On the path of cultivation, methods, companions, wealth, and a suitable place were all indispensable.

In this age of declining spiritual energy, cultivators had to spend a considerable amount of money on food alone.

For example, some martial monks who had trained their bodies to the limit in the acquired realm could eat an entire cow in one meal after stepping into the innate realm.

Fei Luo's cultivation technique trained automatically, and the Qi Guiding Art constantly drew spiritual energy into his body, so he naturally did not need to eat so much. But people still had to live, and having no money was absolutely impossible.

"Thank you, Master." Fei Luo nodded to Uncle Nine, deciding inwardly that he would definitely find an opportunity to give Uncle Nine a few medicinal pills.

Uncle Nine's talent was very high. Without outside help, it would probably be difficult for him to improve any further in this lifetime.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Uncle Nine left with Fei Luo and the other two.

Ren Tingting watched Fei Luo's departing figure thoughtfully. "Father, is that man really Uncle Nine's disciple?"

"Yes, daughter. Why?" How could Master Ren fail to see what his daughter was thinking? He teased, "Uncle Nine's Justice Manor is on the next street. If you want to find him, just go there."

Master Ren was extremely satisfied. The more he looked at Fei Luo, the more he liked him. He was not surprised in the least that his daughter had taken a liking to him.

He had only worried that his daughter would never find a suitable match and would become an old maid in a few years.

"Father, I'm going to buy some rouge and powder first. Take your time sitting here." With that, Ren Tingting turned and left like a fragrant breeze before Master Ren could say anything more.

"Ah." Master Ren sighed softly. "A grown daughter can't be kept at home."

Elsewhere.

After Uncle Nine left with Fei Luo and the other two, he headed straight to Justice Manor.

Upon entering Justice Manor, Uncle Nine arranged for Qiusheng and Wencai to prepare the ritual implements needed three days later, then called Fei Luo into the main hall.

At the center of the hall stood a statue of Great Emperor Huaguang.

"Xiao Luo, kowtow to the patriarch. This is an essential rite for receiving Maoshan's true transmission." After entering the hall, Uncle Nine lit three incense sticks and gave a devout bow before speaking.

"Yes, Master."

The sect's true transmission?

Could it be Uncle Nine's ghost-catching tricks?

As Fei Luo recalled, aside from the Qi Guiding Art, Uncle Nine seemed never to have taught him any actual cultivation techniques.

Not understanding why, Fei Luo knelt on the prayer cushion and began kowtowing to the statue before him.

The deity worshipped by the Maoshan Sect was Great Emperor Huaguang, the Three-Eyed Lord Ma.

Fei Luo knew the origins of the Maoshan Sect's worship of Great Emperor Huaguang.

Legend had it that the Jade Emperor heard that Cantonese Opera corrupted people through its songs and incited theft, causing moral decay. Thus, he sent Huaguang, the God of Fire, to burn down the opera sheds.

Great Emperor Huaguang accepted the order, but before descending to set the fire, he discovered that Cantonese Opera did not corrupt people or encourage theft. Instead, it promoted loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and righteousness, spreading the lofty moral teaching that good and evil would be repaid accordingly. He therefore abandoned the idea of burning down the opera sheds.

He also instructed his uncle, the keeper of the prop boxes, to burn yellow smoke before the stage, then returned to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor, allowing the opera sheds to escape calamity. From then on, opera troupes and those involved in the performing arts all revered Great Emperor Huaguang as their patriarch.

According to legend, Great Emperor Huaguang was merely an ordinary deity of the Heavenly Court. Fei Luo's cultivation was still low, so he did not dwell on such matters.

If he could shatter the void one day, perhaps he might even meet this patriarch.